FIRST READING
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2:19-22)
“Built upon the foundation of the apostles.”
Brethren: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 19:1-2.3-4ab (R. 4a)
R/. Their sound goes forth through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
Day unto day conveys the message,
and night unto night imparts the knowledge. R/.
No speech, no word, whose voice goes unheeded;
their sound goes forth through all the earth,
their message to the utmost bounds of the world. R/.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia. We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as the Lord; the glorious band of apostles sings your praise, O Lord! Alleluia.
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 6:12-19)
“He chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles.”
In these days Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles; Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
Simon and Jude are two great apostles of Jesus. Known as the Zealot, Simon directed his political energy to the service of Christ and the Gospel, and Jude is the patron saint of impossible cases. These apostles formed the foundation of our faith. We are to imitate them in their zeal for the Gospel and follow their legacy of submission and commitment to Jesus. We have been called and sent at baptism to share in the mission of bringing the good news to others. How are we responding to this task? Simon and Jude are examples to us, even in their death. Their life and witness continue to lead people to Jesus. Are we proud of our faith and are we willing to share it with others regardless of the obstacles we may encounter?